Following the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal in April, there's been a severe draught of third-party title announcements for the new systems. According to a new report, this is apparently caused by several reasons, one of which is the lack of devkit access for several developers.
Speaking on the latest episode of the Nate the Hate podcast, the reliable insider confirmed that many developers still lack devkits, which is preventing them from working on Nintendo Switch 2 games, with no explanation for why they are not being given access. Previously, Nintendo operated like Sony and Microsoft, working with a priority list that pinpointed major partners that would get devkits early, but this time around, the Japanese company is operating differently, and is still handling devkit access as if the system were still a secret. Some developers have also confirmed to the insider that they requested devkit access months ago, and the only reply they got from their regional representative was they would get back to them when the time is right. The lack of any explanation for this situation is most definitely baffling, and it is leading to a lot of frustration for the studios that still don't have access.
While the lack of Nintendo Switch 2 devkit access is impacting the announcement and subsequent release of third-party games, there still seems to be something else going on, even for studios and publishers that do have access. Some publishers reportedly have Switch 2 titles in the works, but the announcements are being held back with no explanation provided. Nate the Hate speculates that publishers don't want to announce games too soon to keep excitement high from announcement to release, which makes sense, especially if these games are ports of already available games.
Still, the situation could be changing very soon, as the insider confirmed a new Nintendo Direct is scheduled for the second half of this month, possibly in the last week. No information has been provided regarding what could show up, but it is speculated that information on third-party Nintendo Switch 2 titles could be one of the main focuses of the presentation, as Nintendo's lineup for the remainder of the year is clearly defined, even though games like Metroid Prime 4: Echoes still lack a solid release date.
If the next Direct focuses on Nintendo Switch 2 third-party announcements, we will likely finally learn when games like Final Fantasy VII Remake and Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition will launch on the system. The latter has recently been rated by the ESRB, so an announcement should be imminent.
About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack. After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi "Suda51" Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA's president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3. When he's not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.
Follow Wccftech on Google to get more of our news coverage in your feeds.
